LIMERICK PA – A program designed to teach Pennsylvania senior citizens how to better manage their medications and save money on prescription drugs is being sponsored by the CVS Pharmacy chain that operates three stores in Limerick and Royersford, but the closest the program will get to this area is Harleysville.

CVS said Monday (June 29, 2009) it would join the National Council on Aging in presenting “Pack Your Bag” outreach events this summer, to which seniors are invited to pack a bag with all their medications and bring them for a consultation with pharmacists. The “Pack Your Bag” session closest to Sanatoga is scheduled July 22 at the Harleysville (PA) Senior Center, 14 miles northeast of the village.

Eight in 10 older Americans have at least one chronic health problem, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, according to CVS, and 50 percent of participants in federal Medicare Part D drug plans regularly take an average of eight or more prescriptions. Rising costs and the potential of adverse drug interactions both pose problems for seniors, the company said.

Since the program began last year, CVS said it found that 7 percent of seniors were taking expired medications; 15 percent were not taking medications as prescribed; 10 percent were at risk for potential drug interactions; and 15 percent had the opportunity to switch to money-saving generic drugs.